#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Reactor 3 Leaking Radioactive Water into Ocean

No one knew it was leaking until a worker found it on May 11. The amount of radioactive materials in the leaking water was far less than the pit water gushing from the Reactor 2 back in early April.

Reactor 3 uses MOX fuel.

(The photo is from TEPCO's Photos for Press page.)

From Asahi Shinbun (10:38PM JST 5/11/2011):

　東京電力は１１日夕、福島第一原子力発電所３号機で取水口付近の汚染水を防ぐために設置されたシルトフェンスの外側の海水から、海洋に排出できる国の基 準の濃度の約１万８千倍のセシウム１３４を検出したと発表した。２号機から高濃度汚染水が流出したことがあるが、３号機で確認されたのは初めて。東電は応急の流出防止策を講じた。

TEPCO announced on May 11 evening that a high concentration of cesium-134 was detected in the seawater just outside the silt fence for the water intake area for the Reactor 3 at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. Cesium-134 was found to be 18,000 times the allowable limit for discharge into the ocean. It was the first time the highly contaminated water was found leaking from the Reactor 3. TEPCO carried out an emergency work to stop the leak.

　東電によると、１１日午前１０時半ごろ、作業員が３号機の坑道とつながっている作業用の穴（ピット）で、電線を通している空洞部分から高濃度の放射能汚 染水が流れ出ているのを確認した。ピットの海側部分にひび割れがあり、海に漏れていた。東電は空洞をコンクリートでふさぎ、午後６時４５分に水の流出を止 めた。

According to TEPCO, at about 10:30AM (JST) on May 11, a worker found the water was leaking from the hollow ducts that house electrical wires in the pit that connects to the trench for the Reactor 3. The water was found to be highly contaminated with radioactive materials. There was a crack on the ocean-side of the pit, and the water was leaking into the ocean. TEPCO filled the ducts with concrete, and stopped the leak at 6:45PM.

　３号機取水口のシルトフェンス外側の海水は、ヨウ素１３１も１立方センチあたり９６ベクレルで基準の２４００倍だった。フェンス内側の海水はヨウ素 １３１が同１９０ベクレルで約４８００倍、セシウム１３４は同１９００ベクレルで約３万２千倍だった。ピット内は、ヨウ素１３１が同３４００ベクレルで８ 万５千倍、セシウム１３４は同３万７千ベクレルで６２万倍だった。

The water outside the silt fence for the Reactor 3 water intake also had iodine-131 at 96 becquerels/cubic centimeter, which is 2,400 times the limit. Inside the silt fence, iodine-131 was detected at 190 becquerels/cubic centimeter (4,800 times the limit), cesium-134 at 1,900 becquerels /cubic centimeter (32,000 times the limit). Inside the pit, iodine-131 was detected at 3,400 becquerels/cubic centimeter (85,000 times the limit), and cesium-134 at 37,000 becquerels (620,000 times the limit).

　３号機のタービン建屋地下には、高濃度の放射能汚染水がたまっている。東電はその汚染水が流れ込んだとみている。東電原子力・立地本部の松本純一本部長 代理は「汚染水の流出はフェンスである程度は抑えられるが、完全ではない。最悪の場合は海へ流れ出る可能性もある」としている。

The highly radioactive water sits in the basement of the Reactor 3 turbine building, and TEPCO thinks this water leaked. Junichi Matsumoto of TEPCO said "The silt fence prevents the flow of the contaminated water to some degree, but it is not perfect. In the worst case, the contaminated water could flow into the ocean [outside the silt fence].

(Workers pouring concrete in the pit to fill the ducts. From TEPCO.)

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